LA Galaxy to face Carolina RailHawks in U.S. Open Cup

CARSON, Calif. (Wednesday, May 23, 2012) – The LA Galaxy will begin their quest for a third Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship on Tuesday, May 29 when they take on the NASL’s Carolina RailHawks in the tournament’s Third Round. That game, which will be played at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C., kicks off at 4 p.m. (PT).

This will be the first-ever meeting between the Galaxy and RailHawks, who are coached by former FC Dallas head coach Colin Clarke. Carolina, the reigning NASL regular season champions, are currently 0-4-5 this season for five points, leaving them in seventh place in the eight team league. His team is led by former MLS midfielders Austin da Luz and Nick Zimmerman as well as forward Brian Shriver, who scored four times in Carolina’s 6-0 win over PSA Elite of the U.S. Adult Soccer Association in the Second Round on Tuesday.

The Galaxy have entered the Open Cup, which is being played for the 99th time, every year since 1999, winning the tournament in 2001 and 2005 while reaching the Open Cup Final on two other occasions. Owning a 24-11-1 all-time record in the Open Cup, the Galaxy have only ever lost to non-MLS competition twice in the history of the tournament and are 6-1-0 all-time in the Third Round, including wins in each of the last two years.

If the Galaxy advance past Tuesday’s Third Round game with the RailHawks, they will host the winner of the game between Chivas USA and the Ventura County Fusion in the Fourth Round of the Open Cup on Tuesday, June 5. That game will be played at The Home Depot Center with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Galaxy are back in action tonight when they host the San Jose Earthquakes. That game, which is presented by Farmers Insurance, will be Armed Forces Appreciation Night at The Home Depot Center and kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. For more information about this game or to purchase tickets to any Galaxy home game, please visit lagalaxy.com/tickets.